Alfonso (Spanish captain)

Captain Alfonso (died 1525) was a general of the Habsburg Empire, serving under Charles I of Spain in the Italian Wars. In 1525 he was the commander of the Spanish contingent of the Holy Roman Empire's relief force to lift the siege of Pavia, but King Francis I of France's army overwhelmed the Spanish. Alfonso was struck down in the battle by the French knights, crippling the Spanish army.

Biography
Alfonso was from Spain, serving under the Crown of Castile. A loyal follower of Charles I of Spain, he became a commander of his forces. In the Italian Wars of the 1520s he took part in the Battle of Bicocca and the Battle of Sesia, mauling the Swiss Pikemen with his Tercios.

In 1525 he joined with General Charles de Lannoy's Imperial relief army, which was sent to relieve the besieged city of Pavia from the French king Francis I of France. The Imperial-Spanish army had musketeers and arquebusiers in addition to knights and pikemen, using the latest cannon in addition to firearms.

Unfortunately, Alfonso's army ran into trouble with the French knights. Alfonso was charged and cut down by the French and the French army was successful in crippling the Spanish, although the French were defeated in the decisive Battle of Pavia.